The St Gerard’s School community will come together next week to mark the end of an era as the independent school prepares to close its doors.

The school has invited pupils, parents, former staff, alumni and the wider community to join its final-day celebrations on Thursday, 2 July, at its Ffriddoedd Road site in Bangor.

The afternoon will begin with a performance of The Wizard of Oz at 3.15 pm. Due to limited seating in the hall and the significance of the occasion, attendance at the production will be restricted to current parents, pupils and staff.

From 4 pm, however, the celebrations will continue outdoors with musical performances and refreshments, with former staff, alumni and the wider community invited to come together to celebrate the school’s remarkable history and say a final farewell.

In a message announcing the event, the school said:

“Our Summer Soirée will be a truly special occasion, and a wonderful way to mark the end of an era. A huge thank you goes to our Drama and Music departments, and to our talented pupils, for creating what promises to be a memorable afternoon.”

The farewell comes just weeks after trustees announced that St Gerard’s would close permanently at the end of the academic year. The decision was confirmed on 22 May, with trustees saying it had been made “with a very heavy heart” after every effort had been made to secure the school’s future.

Founded in 1915, St Gerard’s has educated generations of children from across North Wales and beyond. Renowned for its academic standards, small class sizes and close-knit community, it has long been one of the region’s best-known independent schools.

At the time the closure was announced, the school had around 107 pupils and approximately 30 members of staff.

Trustees said the school had been affected by a combination of financial pressures that ultimately made it no longer viable. They cited the introduction of VAT on private school fees, the removal of charitable business rates relief, increases in employer National Insurance contributions, rising operating costs and the continuing challenge of maintaining pupil numbers.

As the final school bell approaches, Thursday’s gathering will provide one last opportunity for generations of pupils, parents, staff, alumni and the wider community to reflect on the friendships, achievements and memories that have defined St Gerard’s for more than a century.

Anyone wishing to attend the event is asked to contact the school on 01248 351656 or by emailing sgadmin@st-gerards.org.